Removable swivel tip for valve stems



Oct. 28, 1930.] s, R OLDHAM 1,779,750

REMOVABLE SWIVEL TIP FOR VALVE STEMS I Filed Jan. 51, 1929 2 S heefs-Sheet 1 M 0%., INVENTOR A' ITORNEY$.

7 Oct. 28, 1930. 3 R OLDHAM 1,779,750

REMOVABLE SWIVEL TIP FOR VALVE STEMS Filed Jan. 51, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z2 M 8+ 27 m f A) m" wfflztlanw INVENTOR, 5Z2

ATTORNEYS.

Patented a. 28, 1930 UNIT sTATEs SAMUEL IR. OLDHAM, on GHICAGO,;ILLI 1\TOIS, ASSIGNORTOOXWELIiBAILROAIl) 1 SERVICE coiviraivm a CORPORATION on DELAWARE I REMO A LE swivnr. TIP nonvillain App'iieation filed January 31,' 1s2 9.1isa a1 no. 336,515., r

This invention pertains to valves for con- I trolling the flow of fluids and more specifical- 1y to a stem for such valves having a floating removable tip. r

l 7 It iscustomary to incorporate valves in the e body of a blowpipe to control the volume of the gasesused thereby, and such valves-usual- 1y have a unitary stem and tip. These valves frequently'leak after they have been in use 10 a short time due to wear caused by a slight eccentricity existing between the tip of the valve stem and the valve seat. This eccentricity causes'one' side of the tipand one side of the seat to wear faster than the resto-f the seating surfaces so, in a short time, the valve leaks through these worn places. When the valve begins toleak the operator naturally closes it tighter to stop it from leakingfand this extra pressure and friction often scores go the seatingsurfaces thereby causing further 7 leakage that usually renders'the valve use less so it must-be repair'edor-replaced at considerable inconvenience and expense.

"One ob ect of the present IIIVGIltlOIIIStO I provide a valve with a stem having a float- .i'ng tip that will align itself with the valve seat as the valve is closed, without causing undue wear on any portion of the seating sur faces, so the valve will close more easily and give more service without leaking. Another object of the invention'is to provide avalve with astem having a floating. tip that'reduces relative motion between the seating sur faces and eliminates the liability of their becoming scored when the valve is' closed with considerable force. Another object; of the invention is to provide a valve with a stem having a floating tip that is under spring tension so the tip will not chatter when the valve is in a nearly closed position. i Another Y "object. of the invention is to provide a means for securing a floating'tip to 'a valve, stem so it will remain attached during shipment, storage, and use, but may be readily detached for repair or replacement when desirable. Other aims, objects, an'dnove1 features, will be apparent from the drawing and the following description.

The objects of this invention areattain'ed by the mechanismshown in the" accompanyf mgdraw1ng,in*which": f I

; Fi fl is a longitudinal section of a portion of a lowpipe having a I valve :b'uilt therein embodying my invention; i

' i Fig; 2'is an enlarged sideview-of the valve stem of F ig.; '1' partially insection to show the relation'of the component parts that secures the tip to th'efst'em;

ehapn -Figi 6 is an'enlarged side view ofthe spring I that preventsthe tip from chattering r a Fig. 8 is a'iview along the line 8 8 sf-Fig;

v I j evie of'the float- 3 :lookin g i'n the direction of i the arrows, and;

" Fig. 9 is'an enlarged longitudinal section of theendof 'the valvestem with th'e tip,

spring, and staple'in assemblediposition."

' One embodiment of the inventioin'shown in i may omp is fla t p 10 tached to'a' valve stem '11 and carried by a rear body casting 12 that forms a valve body and also part of a bl o wpipe 13 Leakage past thevalve stem 11 may be prevented by a packing lt that fills'the space-betweenthe stem 11' and :thevalv'e body'12 andfisfcompressed between astem stop ring'15fand a 5 i glandlfi by means of a gland'nut 1 7thatis threaded to the outside of the valve *body'12'. An enlargementltl' of the valve, stem "11 is threaded injthe'valvebodyfm, andfthe valve me ns; of the handle-i9 attached to thefouter mayfbeopenedand closedby screwing the s'temr'll back and forth inthe valve body 12 by endflo-f the valvestein 11; 'Whenthe valve is closed thebeveled end 20 or the tip 10' is seatbody 12, and these seating surfaces, are accu rately formed and matchedso no gas escapes ed onasiinilarly beveledsurfacein the ?valve The valve stem 11, shown more clearly in Figs. 2 to 9, may have a socket or recess 21 in the inner end thereof and transverse slots 22 extending through opposite sides of the wall of the socket. The tip 10 may be substantially the size of the inner end of the valve stem 11 and have a reduced portion 23 extending into the socket 21, with an annular groove 24 in said reduced portion 23-oppo site the slots 22 in thewall of the socket 21. The tip 10 may be secured in the socket21 by a staple 25 that is held in the slots 22 and the groove 24. A spring 26 may be held in apartially compressed condition betweentlie inner end ofthe reduced portion 23 of the tip 10 and the bottom of the socket 21., I

, The reduced; portionl23 of they tip .10 is somewhat smaller in diaineter than the socket .21 in which it is held so the tip may float or move sidewise enough to allow the seating.

surface 20 of the tip toseat squarely on the seating surface of the valve body 12 without bending. or straining the valve stem 11. This construction that allows the tip to move laterallyand align itself with the valve seat prevents the misalignment that usually exists in the valve stem from causing one portion of the seating surfacestowear faster than the rest andproduce a leaky valve. This feature faces of the valve an d, consequently, greatly friction between these surfaces is greater than greatly reduces the wear on the seating surincreases its useful life. I I 4 j Inadditionto being able to ,float in the stem, the tip l'may also rotate in the stem 11. '1 When the valve is closed, more especially with considerable pressure, -the tapering seating surfaces wedge together so the between the tip and the valve Stem 11.

Consequently, the relative rotary movement between the valve stem 11 and the valve body 12 takes place between the valve stem ll and the tip 10, instead of between theaccurately fitted seatingsurfacesas iriordina'ry valves.

integral valvebody, considerable dilficultyis experienced in constructing them so they do not leak slightly. In largevalves, the threaded portion ofthe valve body is removable so 5; an abrasive may'beplace'dbetween thel seatingsurfaces andone maybe rotated upon the other until they are ground together so they do not leak. In small valves having an integral tip this grindingoperation is impossible,

but in valves suohasishown andfdescribed herein the threadedportion of the valve stem may be removed from the tip so the seating surface 20 of the tip 10 may be rotated on the seating surface of the valve body 12 to grind them together the same as in larger valves.

This feature makes it possible .to more. easily secure a tight valve andto more easily repair a leaking one, especially in the field, Where the only means for repairing a leaking valve is to. regrind the? seatingJsurfaceslli I lDuringithe development of the valve shown and described herein, it was found that the floating tip frequently chattered when the valve was nearly closed, and it was also discovered that'all chattering could be prevented by inserting a spring 26, between therval've stem-11 and the tip lO so the ti p was always under spring tension. This feature allows the valve to be opened a slight amount withv out the, annoyance of having the gas flow movethe .tip and change the size of the open ing, and the danger of having thetip chatter and roughen the seating macaw they leak,

In a valve stem having floating removable tip it' is desirable to secure thetip to the stem so it willremain attached during manufacture, shipment, and use; and at the same time, have 1t readlly removable for repair and replacement. This is accomplished by forming the staple 25 so-itmaybemanually insertedinthe slot-s22 and the groove 24;;s0it will remain in place; and so itmay be manually removed. Thearms 27 of the staple 25 are.closer together at their outer I ends than they arehatthe head of the staple where they arejoined, and the space between the arms 27 is less than the diameter of the tip 10 at the bottom of the groove24 Consequently,-awhen the staple -is' in, assembled "ioo position, the arms 2'? grip thebottom of the i groove 2 l and tend to draw thehead of the staple toward-the groove'LAs long as the staple is not bentor mutilated it will remain inv assembled positionbut, as it might become bent and fall out, an, additional means for,

holding it in. assembled position is provided.

The head ofthe staple. 25 is provided With an inturned loop28f that is bent sidewiseji'lst far enough to makethe 11eac1 offth staple slightly wider than either :of the slots 22 through which it passes when itisinserte d in assembled "position; This inturned "loop "28 serves the double functionof making the head of the staple slightly wide'r than either of the slots 22, so; the head of the stamplemu'st be sprung slightly when itlis inserted orre moved, thereby preventing it-from becoming dislodged; and also,.the inturnedloop strikes againstthe bottom of the groove 24 and holds the head of'the staple in one of the slots 22, If it were not for this inturned loopthe. head of the staple would pass through 'the .slot and rest in the groove 24;so only the protruding ends 27 would be in the slots22 andserve to hold the tip lOin the socket 21. 'As it o is, the inturned loop 28 holds the staple 25.

thereby securelyholding the tip 10 in the socket 21. This construction securely holds the component parts of the valve stem 'together' without danger of any of the parts coming loose and falling out during storage. and shipment, and still, the parts may be manually disassembled and reassembled whenever desirable without recourse to tools or mechanical devices of any kind. The head I havlnga socket 1none end and transverse of the staple 25 is sprung only when the staple is being inserted or withdrawn. When the staple is in assembled position the inturned :loop 28 lies inside the'slot 22 and the'head of the staple lies loosely in the slot 22 so the tip 10 may move sidewise in the socket 21' without having its movement restricted by, the staple. The range of this lateral movement is sufficient to allow for any eccentricity that may exist in thevalve stem so the tip may seat squarely on the valve seat as the Valve is closed and thereby eliminate all side strain on the tip and all regional wearon the seating surfaces. Therefore, the va-lve'may' be closed more easily and it will give longer service before needing its parts repaired or replaced.

The materials of which the component parts of this novel valve are composed are well known in the art and form no part of the invention. It is understood, of course, that having the Valve body part of a blowpipe is not essential as it may be formed independently. Various changes and alterations in the form of the component parts may be made and they may be assembled differently without departing from the invention or sacrificing anyof the'rights thereunder.

I claim:

1. In a valve, the combination of a stem having a socket in one end thereof and an opening through the side wall of said socket;

a one piece tip having a reduced portion pro- ]ecting into said socket and fitting. loosely. therein; a spring between thebottom of said socket and the inner end of said reduced portion; and means insertable and removable through in said socket. V V V 2. In a valve, the combination of a stem having a socket in one end and transverse slots in opposite sides of said socketextendslots in opposite sidesof said socket extending through the wall thereof; a tip having a reduced portion fitting loosely in said socket and an annular groove in sald reduced portion opposite said slots; and a staple insert able through said slots and said groove to secure said tip in said socket, and removable therefrom to release said tip from said socket;

said staple having converging endsthat grip the bottom of said groove and tendto hold said staple in its assembled'p'osition.

4. In a valve, the combination of astem slots in opposite sides of said socket extending through the wall thereof; a tip having areduced portion fitting loosely in said socket and an annular groovein said reduced portion opposite said slots; a springin a partially compressed condition between the bottom'of said socket and the inner end of said reduced portion; and a staple insertable through said slots and said groove to secure said tip in said socket; said staple having an inturned loop that isoffset to make the head of, said staple slightly wider than either of said slots'so the head of said staple must'be V- sprung slightly as it is inserted and so said said openingto fasten said tip I ing through the wall thereof; a tip having 7 a a reduced portion extending into'said socket and fitting loosely'therein and an annular.

groove in said reduced portion; a spring held in a partially compressed condition be- 7 r 7 7 said slots and said groove tween the inner end of said reduced portion and the bottom of said socket; and means in for holding said tip insaid socket. i

3. In a valve, the combination of a stem having a socket in one end and transverse 

